Section 1: Evaluating Performance Using Absolute Standards
Purpose and Value
Absolute Standards are the procedures used to measure the performance of an organization’s workforce and act as a yardstick for quality control. It, therefore, ensures zero errors, defects, and losses. It is considered an unattainable in the real world; however, it can be used as a yardstick for the company to assess its overall growth. Various costs used in acquiring new resources and training of personnel are incurred to ensure the effectiveness of these standards. The methods used to conduct the absolute standard assessment include checklist evaluation, essay appraisal, critical incident, and graphic rating scale (Jafari, Bourouni & Amiri, 2009). The absolute value is generally compared to nothing.
Advantages and Disadvantages
There are various advantages and disadvantages to using absolute standards as a method of performance appraisal. The benefits include the personnel can be compared to each other using external yardsticks without necessarily using internal tools. Additionally, the benchmark allows managers to communicate with the employees regarding their performance and the goals they achieved. The main demerit of the standard is that it is impossible to attain in the real world. In reality, no personnel or organization can achieve perfection such that they do not make errors and losses (Lunenburg, 2012). Additionally, the model may cause low productivity due to increased pressure among employees to attain the set goals. The company incurs high costs to maintain an entire workforce through training and acquiring new technologies. It is also time-consuming since it requires enormous commitments from the employees and the management.
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Section 2: Evaluating Performance Using relevant standards.
Purpose and Value
Relative standards are those used to measure employee performance using that of other personnel. The workforce is, therefore, assessed using predetermined predictions. It involves methods such as, individual, group order ranking and paired comparisons (Jafari, Bourouni & Amiri, 2009). The relative value is mainly formed when two absolute values are compared to each other. Managers are required to set a percentage that indicates high, average, and low performers.
Advantages and Disadvantages
The essential benefit of using relative evaluation standards is that managers can evaluate the performance of their employees among them. Additionally, it helps to provide employees with incentives such as promotions depending on their overall performance. Relative standards help in ensuring a degree of equality among the staff since the employees can also assess the values used. They also help in developing compensation plans of the company. The standard does not use external yardsticks to evaluate the performance of the personnel. Consequently, the organization may fail to gain a competitive advantage by having productive and competent employees. This method may result in unhealthy competition among personnel. The staff may feel the need to outdo their colleagues so that they can acquire high marks. To attain this high-performance appraisal, they may use unethical ways that may hurt their coworkers and the organization in general.
Section 3: My Recommended Evaluation Standards
Selected Method
Following the above findings, the absolute performance evaluation standards are appropriate for the organization. Primarily, the method is critical as it helps the company to assess its performance using external yardsticks. Moreover, it will reduce inconsistencies and errors incurred during appraisals. Although the method might be expensive and time-consuming, it provides a broad scope of focus that allows managers to conduct the process effectively.
Importance of Findings
The absolute performance evaluation standard will help the company to gain a competitive advantage since it uses tools that are used in the industry. Moreover, it will gauge the employees depending on their responsibilities and positions. Importantly, since the procedure ensures zero errors, losses and defects, it will help the firm to reduce cases of the inconsistency observed in compensation increases and irregularities on how the performance ratings are administered. The standard also helps the company to develop adequate job descriptions that can be used to employ and train recruits.
Section 4: Effective Performance appraisals
An effective performance appraisal standard should effectively provide adequate feedback on the employees’ performance, serve as the foundation of initiating productive working cultures, and provides managers with data they can easily use for future job descriptions and assignments. It is, therefore, critical for employers to increase the effectiveness of their performance appraisal methods. First, regular training of managers will help to improve on how they conduct appraisals. Moreover, it enlightens them on how to evaluate the employees objectively. Second, the use of 360-degree reviews aids the supervisors to acquire information about the employees from customers, colleagues, and other supervisors, thus ensuring a complete and balanced evaluation. Thirdly, building a culture that appreciates evaluation will assist in reinforcing the expectations of the workers where both the managers and the employees work collaboratively to ensure the success of the organization.
Fourth, review of the drafts by other supervisors. This reduces biasedness and unnecessary mistakes that have occurred during the assessment. Corrective action should be taken against managers that do not evaluate as required. Significantly, supervisors should continually ensure they adequately document the performance by indicating the strengths and weaknesses that arise during evaluation. It is critical to assess the consistency between performance appraisals and the worker’s job description. The criteria used to appraise employees should reflect on their responsibilities and position. Although performance appraisal methods differ depending on the managers, it is critical to ensure that the methods used are practical and efficient to avoid inaccurate outcomes.
References
Jafari, M., Bourouni, A., & Amiri, R. H. (2009). A new framework for the selection of the best performance appraisal method. European Journal of Social Sciences , 7 (3), 92-100.
Lunenburg, F. C. (2012). Performance appraisal: Methods and rating errors. International journal of scholarly academic intellectual diversity , 14 (1), 1-9.
